KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Charlize Davis and Matea Vernon of Rocky Mountain (Mont.) had two big matches last week, not only in Cascade Conference action, but on a national scale as well. Vernon’s baker’s dozen save total across both matches not only handed her the PrestoSports-NAIA Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honors, while Charlize Davis put two goals away in the win over No. 4 College of Idaho for the seventh installment of the offensive award.
On the road at Eastern Oregon, Vernon a Gaston, Oregon, native kept EOU off the board for the full 90 minutes after six saves in a tight 1-0 victory. Eastern Oregon entered the weekend second in CCC standings, while the Battlin’ Bears entered the weekend match at third, as the race to the top of conference standings is closing.
The next day, in Caldwell, Idaho, Rocky met up with No. 4 College of Idaho. The Yotes were also top of the Cascade at the time in another match that had more impact than just conference standings. Vernon was called upon seven times in the match as the Battlin’ Bears gained a 2-0 lead early in the second half thanks to goals from the offensive player of the week Charlize Davis and held it through the final whistle for a statement victory on the road in a contest that was nearly even in shots, and shots on goal.
Defensively, Vernon was rock solid between the sticks with 13 saves and 180-minutes in goal. Offensively, the Billings, Montana native, Davis was the difference maker against the Yotes with her two shots on goal finding the back of the net.
Vernon and Davis are back on the pitch with the rest of the Rocky squad Thursday, October 15 at 5 p.m. MT against Providence (Mont.) at Herb Klindt Field as they look to keep momentum in the final week and a half of the regular season.
About the NAIA
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small college athletics programs dedicated to character-driven, education-based athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has balanced high-level competition with holistic student-athlete development through its commitment to The Right Way to Play®. Each year more than 87,000 NAIA student-athletes compete in college athletics, earn over $1.3 billion in financial aid, and pursue opportunities to participate in 30 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA | #TheRightWayToPlay
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